Exploring The Bediya Tribe and The Significance of their 'Mahato' surname

Introduction

West Bengal, a state known for its rich cultural diversity, is home to various indigenous communities, each contributing to the vibrant mosaic of the region. Among these, the Badia, Bediya, and Bedia tribes stand out as Scheduled Tribes, recognized and protected by the Indian Constitution for their unique customs, cultures, and socio-economic identities.

Read more- Scheduled Tribes in West Bengal: Diverse Tapestry

Origin and Settlement

Originally coming from some parts of West Bengal, the Badia tribe has its cultural practices well infused with local landscapes. Their historical attachment works like agriculture and forestry create a traditional lifestyle influenced by the natural environment.

The Bedia Tribe, a sort of cousin or "masiaut bhai" of the Kurmis, both the tribes belong to the Chota Nagpur area. The Dravidian tribe has unique cultural heritage with unique practices and a special relation with the land.

Cultural Practices

Some of the unique cultural practices of the Badia people include their traditional ceremonies and rituals, since most of the cultural practices follow the closeness to nature. All these things contribute to the distinct identity of the Badia tribe in the socio-cultural framework of West Bengal.

 Social Structure ***

The Bediya tribe implies a very distinct social set-up, laying much emphasis on large family units and communal relations. These will, to some extent, have a depiction of the social structure as at such times the society will have its way of governance and making decisions.

Economy

Main Occupation: The main occupation of these tribes is agriculture. They also sell firewood, gather lac, and other forest produce. A few others are rickshaw pullers and engage in other forms of labor.

As per 2000 census, most of the Bedia people inhabit Jharkhand's districts of Singbhum, Ranchi, and Hazaribagh. Their places of dwelling are characterized by meager forests, the only ideal backdrop to their farming lifestyle. An Indo-Aryan family, Panchpargania is their language or the instrument of communication.

 Religion and Festivals

The Bedia people belong to their tribal religion and worship family deities, such as Mai, Kundari, Mudkati, Darha, Bansa, and others. Their religious practices include the celebration of festivals such as Sarhul, Phagun, Sohrai, and Jitia, during which they show a deep relation to the spirituality of nature.

Economy

Agriculture is the principal occupation, but other sources of income include selling firewood, gatherings lac, and other forest produce. Others still get into occupations such as rickshaw pulling and other jobs related to labor.

The Bedia community is divided into septs, with their exogamous clans named Phecha, Mahua, Bambia, Suiya, Kachua, and Chidra. They hold the title of Mahato. The community follows birth and death rituals, and on the sixth day after the birth of a child, they follow Chetti, where purificatory and child naming ceremonies are conducted.

The Bedia is a tribal community of the states of Bihar and Jharkhand in India, considered to have been originated from Mohdipahar in Hazaribagh district. According to mythology, they are descended from the union of a Vedbansi prince with a Munda girl, while some consider that they have originated from a section of the Kurmis known as the Wandering Kurmis. Others trace their origin from Ved/Ved Vyas, the author of the Hindu epic Mahabharata.

Conclusion

The cultural tapestry of these tribes depicts the resilience and uniqueness of the indigenous community of Badia, Bediya, Bedia in the west part of Bengal. Understanding their traditions, practices, and challenges is very important towards the overall promotion of inclusivity and the rich cultural diversity in the region.

FAQ

Q. What is the importance of Badia, Bediya, and Bedia tribes of West Bengal?

A. The Badia, Bediya, and Bedia tribes in West Bengal are important as Scheduled Tribes, being recorded and positioned for special care and protection because of individual customs, cultures, and socio-economic identities.

Q. What are the principal sources of livelihood among the Bediya tribe?

A. Their chief occupation is agriculture, but it is allied to numerous other activities like the sale of firewood, gathering of lac, and other forest produce, and few of the Bediyas are also employed as rickshaw pullers and in various labor jobs.

Q.   What are the means that the Bediya and Badia tribes use to keep their social structure intact?

A. The Bediya tribe has an extended family and community-based social structure, which is unique and contributes much to defining their social life. The social structure of the Badia tribe is influenced by the traditional ceremonies and rituals expressing the closeness or attachment of the tribal people to their nature.

Q. What are the languages that the Bedia tribe speaks?

The Bedia tribe uses Panchpargania, which belongs to the family of languages called Indo-Aryan, in all forms of inter- and intra-group communication. Bedia tribes settled in West Bengal are known as Bedia Kudmi, Choto Kudmi, or San Kurmi and at home, they speak Kudmali, using Bengali for inter-group communication.

 Q. What kind of festivals are celebrated by the Bedia tribe?

Answer: The Bedia tribe has festivals like Sarhul, Karma, Phagun, Sohrai, and Jitia to reflect a great sense of attachment to nature and spirit.

A6. The Bedia are said to have originally lived on mohdipahar in Hazaribagh district. They are think to have descended from the union of a Vedbansi prince with a Munda girl or originated from a section of the Kurmis, known as the Wandering Kurmis.

Q. What is the primary occupation of the Bedia tribe in Chota Nagpur?

A. The Bediya tribe's major occupation is agriculture. A few belong to the contract laborers, rickshaw pullers, and petty businesses class.

Q. How do the Bediya and Bedia tribes follow birth and death rituals?

A. Both the Bediya and Bedia tribes follow the rituals regarding the ceremonies of birth and death. The Bediya Tribe follow a ritual named Chetti after a child's sixth-day birth in which the purificatory and naming of the child are done. The Bedia Tribe follows the same kind of rituals and celebrates Chetti after the sixth-day birth of a child.

Q. How the tribes are facing the challenge and show their resilience?

A. The tribes face problems in land right constructions, the right to education, and access to economic opportunities, with an inclination toward the Badia, Bediya, and Bedia. but resilient people who have stuck to the present and evolved but still held to their culture.

Q. Why are the Bediya and Badia tribes recognized and protected by the Indian Constitution?**

A. The tribes Bediya and Badia are usually acknowledged by the Indian Constitution on account of their own distinct culture, way of life, and the socio-economic status as a Scheduled Tribe, or in the other sense called Adivasi.

Q. Whether the Mahato titles are hereditary amongst the Bedia tribe?

A. Yes, this very title Mahato is of a hereditary character amongst the Bedia tribe. It passes down through the link of generations and contributes to the nature of social structure that the tribe's people maintain.

Q. How do Mahato influences practice the marriage system of Bedia society?

A. Marriage is practised in Bedia society under the influences of Mahato as exogamous because most of the time, the tribal people marry between 2 individuals of a different clan of Mahato, hence ensuring the multiculturalism among the tribes.